Strip control means for manifolders



March 19, 1935. w E QLlVER 1,995,189

STRIP CONTROL MEANS FOR MANIFOLDERS Filed Jan. 29, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1"3. 'F'" 3 PIT l5 C ii I FYIIIIIIIIIII p I 'I I v Iwveaeiow: g! We? Emiiz March 19, 1935. w OLNER 1,995,189

STRIP CONTROL MEANS FOR MANIFOLDERS Filed Jan. 29, 1929 2 Sh,ee ts-Sheet2 Inversionwaif/e? E 021208?- VQQQY Patented Mar. 1935 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE STRIP CONTROL MEANS FOR MANIFOLDERS v Walter E. Oliver,East-Boston, Mass.

Application January 29, 1929, Serial No. 335,819

' 15 Claims.

is to provide efiective means for exactly positioning the material foruse; for example, positioning superposed strips in proper register overa platen for the inscription of multiplicate records thereon.

My invention may be understood from the following description of anautographic register, the construction of which serves as anexemplification of the invention, such description being taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a broken longitudinal section through an autographic register,the construction of which constitutes an illustrative embodiment of theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a section'on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with parts broken away;

Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are fragmentary views illustrating the feeding meansin different phases of its movement; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section on the line 77 of Fig. 1.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the machine there shown isorganized in a suitable box-like casing 9,-in the upper part of which isa suitable platen l1 exposed through a frame-like ever 13 overwhich-platen a number of strips of paper are led in superposed relationfrom a suitable source of supply, herein separate rolls 13. Toillustrate the invention I have illustrated two such strips a and b, butany reasonable number might be used. Interposed between the strips wherethey pass over the platen is carbon paper 0. After inscription thestrips may be fed forward and sections thereof torn off at the ledgerblade 15. To provide for the feed of the strips What has been describedso far does not'diifer in essence from mechanisms found in many types ofautographic registers.

The strips are drawn forward over the platen 11 by means of a feedingmechanism more particularly embodying features of the invention. HereinI provide means for feeding the strips for a distance approximatelyequal to the distance between the successive holes (1 and cooperatingmeans thereafter precisely to positionand register the strips. Theprimary feeding means herein takes the form of a segmental feeding disc1'7 carried on the rotary shaft 19 adapted to be turned-by a hand crank21 at the exterior of the case 9, the disc cooperating with a roller 23slidably mounted in spring-pressed boxes just above the plane of theplaten 11 and driven at substantially the same surface speed as thediscthe circumferential length of the tread 27. Thus in Fig. 3 tread 2'?is shown in feeding position.

When the rear end of the tread passes the twelve oclock position, thefeeding mechanism is entirely idle until the parts. reach the positionof Fig. 4, as will hereinafter be explained. As best seen in Fig. 2, thedisc 1'7 may be of duplex aspect, being herein provided with a centralgroove 29 for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

The auxiliary means for completing the positioning of the strip materialon the platen herein comprises fingers which enter the holes in thestrip and provide gages againstwhich the rear sides of the holes aredrawn by auxiliary feeding means, the latter herein taking the form ofadditional fingers which engage the forward or leading walls of theholes to draw forward the strips against the gages. In the embodiment ofthe invention shown the two sets of fingers fit together so thatcooperating elements of the two sets enter the holes in the strip as oneand this compound finger expands in the hole by a differential movementof its parts.

In the structural embodiment of this conception herein shown the disc 17is provided with a radial recess 31 circumferentially out of registerwith the feedingperiphery thereof and secured against the leading wallof this recess there is provided a plate 33 having projecting fingers35, two fingers being shown at opposite sides of the center line of thestrip to provide for even draft thereon. A similar plate 37 havingaligning fingers 39 may be mounted to slide on the pins 41 projectingrearwardly from the plate 33, the plate 37 being normally yieldablypressed into contact with plate 33 by the springs 43 encircling saidpins, the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4, but it may be drawn awaytherefrom through the position shown in Fig. 5 until it makes contactwith the opposite side of the recess 31 in the position of Fig. 6. Theroll 23 is cut away at 45, as best shown in Fig. 2, to pass the fingers35 and 39.

The top plate 33 between the fingers 35 may be aligned with the bottomof groove 29, as appears most clearly from Fig. 3, while the centralpor,- tion of the plate 37 may project above the bottom of that grooveto permit it to be engaged by the bill 47 of a hook 51 mounted on a rockshaft 53, the rock shaft being normally pressed by spring 55 (see Fig.2) in such manner that the bill of the hook engages the bottom of thegroove 29. This hook serves as a stop to halt the orbital or rotativemovement of plate 3'7 with the disc 17 while permitting the fingers 35to continue their travel for alimited distance. The rock shaft 53 may beprovided with a lever handle 57 (see Fig. 2) at the exterior of thecasing to permit the hook to be swung counterclockwise to release theparts.

The method of operation will be clear from Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6. In Fig.3 the feeding movement of the strips to dischargeinscribed sectionsthereof to a position beyond the ledger blade 15 and to bring freshsections over the platen is in greater measure completed by thecooperation of tread 27 of; the rotating feed disc with roll 23. Toillustrate the principles of the invention I have shown the holesd inthe two strips a and b as somewhat out of register. As the rear end ofthe tread 27 passes the twelve oclock position feeding movement of thedisc ceases. Substantially at the completion of this movement thefingers 35 and-39, which are then pressed together by the springs 43,roll into the holes d, and if oneof the strips, as b, is lagging in theamount shown, the finger 35 starts to feed it forward. This is theposition of Fig. 4. Probably on account of friction between the stripsanother strip such as a may also move and to ensure register thefollowing further operation is effected. As the fingers approach thetwelve oclock position, the bill 47 of hook 51 engages plate 33 andstops further forward movement of the fingers 39 which are thenmaintained in stationary position projecting through the holes to serveas gage pins against which the rear walls of the holes may be drawn. Thefingers 35, however, continue in motion with thedisc and, engaging theforward walls of the holes, draw forward the two strips simultaneouslyor differentially as conditions require until the plate 33 reaches theopposite wall of recess 31 and the parts are locked in position and thefeeding movement completely stopped. In this position it will be notedfrom Fig. 6 that the forward face of the bill of the hook enters behindplate 33 looking the parts against retrograde movement or recoil. Thedistance between the outer faces of the fingers in the position of Figs.1 and 6 is chosen as the diameter of the holes d and by the cooperationof the parts as described the two strips are exactly registered over theplaten. The

parts are then in the position of Fig. 1, and after the strips have beenwritten upon, the handle 57 may be depressed to lift up the hook and thecrank is then rotated and the fingers by their engagement with the holeswill effect an initial feeding movement of the strips and the tread 27will then come into action to feed forward the main body of the stripsuntil the next set of holes approaches the location of roll 23 and thecycle may be repeated. As the leading edges of the strips pass to theright from the position of Fig. 1, a stripper 58 frees them from fingers35-39 and guides them out of the machine. This stripper may be a part ofthe top of the case 9 extending to the right past the location of ledgerblade 15 and suitably notched, if desired, to permit fingers 3539 andtreads 27 to pass. After the inscribed sections are torn off, theleading edges of the succeeding sections are left projecting between thestripper and the blade.

As seen in Fig. 1, the strips of paper a and b may be led directly insuperposition over the rear end of the platen 11 (which may be providedwith a rounded end 59) without utilizing any tensioning or braking meansor separate guiding rolls. To position the paper on the platen andprevent its disarrangement by the traction of the writing instrumentthereon, I may (see Fig; 7) loosely attach to the left-hand margin ofthe frame 13, as by means of the screw 61, an angle bar having asubstantially horizontal flange 63 and a vertical fiang'e 65 extendingover the inner edge of the frame and overlying the paper on the platen.When an inscription is made on the paper, the left hand may rest on thehorizontal flange, pressing the vertical flange down against the paperto clamp the same to the platen and prevent its being disarranged duringthe writing operation.

I am aware that the invention may be embodied in other specific formswithout departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and Itherefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in all respectsas illustrative and not restrictive; reference being had to the appendedclaims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope ofthe invention:

I claim:

1. In a mechanism of the class described a feed roll having acircumferential groove, a segmental tread and a radial slot, a memberadjacent a wall of said slot having projecting feed fingers, a similarmember associated with the first and yieldably held toward the same, ahook running in said groove and having a bill to engage said secondmember to stop its movement and permit the first member to move awayfrom the same and with said disc, and a roll cooperating with the treadof the feed roll and cut away to pass said fingers.

2. In a mechanism of the class described a feed roll having acircumferential groove, a segmental tread and a radial slot, a memberadjacent a wall of said slot having projecting feed fingers, a similarmember associated with the first and yieldably held toward the same, ahook running in said groove and having a bill to engage said secondmember to stop its movement and permit the first member to move awayfrom the same and with said disc, the wall of said slot cooperating withsaid second member to limit-such continued movement and the bill of thehook being-of a width then to enter behind said first member to preventretrograde movement of the feeding means.

3. Ina mechanism for feeding perforated stri material a rotary shaft, afeed disc turned thereby, said disc being segmental in form to define agap in the periphery thereof, a finger projecting outward at the gap inthe disc and adapted to turn with the shaft,.a second finger yieldablyheld adjacent the 'first to permit the two to enter together a hole in astrip, and a catch effective to halt forward'movement of the latterfinger.

4. In a mechanism for feeding perforated strip together a hole in astrip, and a catch effective first to halt forward movement of thelatter finger and thereafter of all said shaft driven devices.

5. In a mechanism for feeding perforated strip material, a rotary shaft,a segmental feed disc carried thereby, a feeding finger moving with saidV disc circumferentially out of line with the feeding periphery thereof,a finger yieldingly pressed to' the first and having limited lost motionwith respect thereto, and-a releasable stop to engage said second fingerto check its forward motion with the shaft.

6. In a mechanism for feeding perforated strip material, a rotary shaft,a segmental feed disc carried thereby, a feeding finger moving with saiddisc circumferentially out of line with the feeding periphery thereof, afinger yieldingly pressed to the first and having limited lost motionwith respect thereto, and releasable stop means first to engage saidsecond finger and check its forward motion with the shaft and second tolock the feeding mechanism against retrograde movement when said fingershave reached the limit of their relative motion.

7. Mechanism for feeding strip material having holes at intervalstherealong comprising, in combination with means for feeding thematerial a distance approximately equal to the distance betweensuccessive holes, a pair of separable fingers orbitally movable to entersubstantially at the conclusion of such feeding'movement together into ahole, releasable means for thereafter checking movement of one of saidfingers to cause separation of the two, and means to return said fingerstogether again on release of such means.

8. In a mechanism for feeding perforated strips of material a dividedfinger adapted to enter holes in the strips and means to cause it toexpand therein substantially in the line of feed to position thematerial.

9. In a mechanism for feeding perforated strip material a finger adaptedto enter a hole and serve as a gage for the rear wall thereof, arelatively movable finger in advance of the same to draw a strip againstsaid gage by cooperation with the forward wall of such hole, and drivingmeans for said fingers effective to insert them in such hole and toadvance the latter finger longitudinally of the strip.

10. In a mechanism for feeding perforated strip material a fingeradapted to enter a hole and serve as a gage for the rear wall thereof, arelatively movable finger in advance of the same to draw a strip againstsaid gage by cooperation with the forward wall of such hole, and drivingmeans for said fingers effective to insert them in such hole and toadvance the latter finger longitudinally of the strip for a limiteddistance comprising releasable stop means for locking the parts againstmovement in either direction after such advance.

11. Mechanism for feeding strip material having holes at intervalstherealong comprising, in combination with means for feeding the strip adistance approximately equal to the distance between successive holes, apair of fingers, and mechanism for operating said feeding means andsequentially to move said fingers in unison into a hole and to move themdifferentially therein.

12. Mechanism for feeding strip material having holes at intervalstherealong comprising, in combination with means for feeding the strip adistance approximately equal to the distance between successive holes, agaging device operated to enter a hole substantially at the completionof such feeding movement, and auxiliary feeding means for positioningthe strip by means of said gage.

l3. Mechanism for feeding strip material having holes at intervalstherealong comprising, in combination with means for feeding the strip adistance approximately equal to the distance between successive holes, agaging device operated to enter a hole substantially at the completionof such feeding movement, and auxiliary feeding means having a definitelimit of travel past the position of such gage for positioning the stripthereagainst.

14. In a manifolder, in combination with-a platen over which superposedstrips are drawn, a frame through which said strips are exposed, and amember loosely associated with a side of the frame and having a portionopposing the platen to clamp the strips thereto when manually depressed.

15. In a manifolder, in combination with a platen over which superposedstrips are drawn, a frame through which said strips are exposed, and anangle bar having one flange loosely secured over a side of said frameand forming a rest for the hand and a flange extending toward saidplaten to clamp the strips thereto when said bar is depressed. (1

WALTER E. OLIVER.

